Blues sign Marcus Sylvegard, Samuel Johannesson to entry-level deals

The St. Louis Blues made a pair of signings Tuesday, inking forward Marcus Sylvegard and defenseman Samuel Johannesson to entry level deals.

Both players spent nearly their entire careers in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).

The 24-year-old Sylvegard signed a one-year deal worth $950,000. He spent the 2023-24 season with Vaxjo in the SHL, scoring 23 goals, which ranked second in the entire league, as well as 18 assists for a team-leading 41 points.

Through nine seasons, he scored 68 goals and 72 assists for 140 points and 218 penalty minutes in 320 career SHL games.

Johannesson, 23, signed a two-year deal that is also worth $950,000. He played 43 games for Orebro in the SHL last season, scoring 11 goals and 16 assists for 27 points.

Through seven seasons, he scored 22 goals and 59 assists for 81 points in 239 career games.

Johannesson was drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the sixth round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.

The Blues finished the 2023-24 regular season with a 43-33-6 record and 92 points, fifth in the Central Division and six points out of a Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.

Since winning the Stanley Cup in 2019, the Blues have won one playoff series, and have now missed the playoffs in two consecutive seasons. Drew Bannister was named interim head coach after the club fired Craig Berube on Dec. 12.